The Rock, the Water and the Promise

He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river. For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant. And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness: And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people; That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the LORD. Psalm 105:41-45

This is a tremendous promise and I believe that it is a word for the “End Time Body of Christ” on a global scale, and especially those who find themselves on the front lines of the battle as well as the various situations and circumstances that belies that word of promise. Since arriving in Ethiopia I have had many occasions to travel around the city of Addis, as well as other cities and various locations that would include the open spaces of land that are part of Ethiopia. When you look at the natural environment and the way that things are done and the out-of-order-ness of it, it gives evidence to the darkness that is so preeminent that rules over the land, it is difficult to believe that you as an individual can make a difference that will change it. To be quite frank, this is not just an Ethiopian problem. Although it is global, it is predominantly apparent in the entirety of Africa that I have had the privilege of seeing, as well as in Asia. I have come to the conclusion that the only hope that humanity has at this point[1], the only thing that will impede its slide into the pit of hell on the greased rail of religious deception in both levels of the church (Outer Court, Holy Place), is this Apostolic Word of Sonship that has at its foundation the death to self-message. In other words, it requires the total abandonment of self to the will of God and to His plan and purpose in this end of time.

It is not so much the condition of the land or the darkness that is upon the people that frightens me, it is the apathy of the elect of God to the condition of it and the desensitization of our spiritual discernment in discerning the times that we are in and that in and of itself produces an abject lack of commitment[2] to do something about it. It leads me to believe that the parable of the fruit tree is a parable of the Holy Place church. Luke 13:6, He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. If what I am seeing and expressing to you is the Lord, and I believe that it is, then that means for those of us who have been hearing this Word, we could very well wake up to the sense of reality that we have missed the boat[3]. Am I bold enough to say that God is giving us one more year to fix the problem; yes, I believe that I am. It reminds me of a dream that Brother duCille had many years ago: He and Mavis were on a boat[4] that was sailing out of the harbor on its way to a destination[5]. There was some sort of disturbance in the parking lot from which they had left[6], and he was intently trying to see what it was that was going on. All of a sudden he found himself and Sister Mavis in the parking lot and the boat in the distance; it was sailing off without them. In the dream there was no way that he could remedy the situation. I remember him telling me that when he woke up from the dream, he had such a sense of loss and despair over the fact that he was no longer on the boat and that he could not get back to it. What it says to me is that there are times God will rescue us out of some circumstances the first time around. However, God expects for us to learn from those circumstances and utilize those experiences and His correction that comes because of it; to discern them when they come around again so that we do not fall prey to the devil’s trap, because God may very well not intervene the second time around.

There is also the story of the rich young ruler which has been coming up again and again. The more I meditate upon it the more I am convinced that the rich young ruler is indicative of the Holy Place people; a people that has done well with their walk in the Lord and has prospered in the natural because of it. However, it was now time for him to advance to a higher level so the invitation is given and the cost of it is evident; unfortunately, he did not make the grade. Can you imagine the despair of one’s soul to come down to the end of the day and not be a part of the First Fruits Company because of “things”? Things that may seem important, but at the very best they are things that are temporal,[7] because they are doing nothing to enhance or develop the reality of your eternal calling[8]. It says of the saints that have gone on before us that they did not accept deliverance because they had a hope of a better resurrection[9]. That hope is the Word of God that has been delivered unto us as a people. It is this word that is the culmination as well as the manifestation of that which was given to the Church by the Apostles and in particular that which was given to Paul concerning the people that would come forth in the end of time; the same people who Peter in his epistle to the church said that we were a peculiar people, a people that were set aside for a particular time for a particular purpose, that would come forth in the End of Time, of which time we are in. It is not as though we, to whom the revelation and the truth of that apostolic Word were given, can live our lives as unto ourselves. The reference scripture above states that the saints that have gone before us chose to suffer persecution and death on the basis of a people, and we are that people, that were to come and in our coming they would receive the promise that they were denied[10]. We are that people!! We are their hope! For it has been bequeathed unto us on the basis of the Word of God and the fullness of the understanding of that Word that has been committed unto us. We are that people to whom they are looking unto.[11] The Rock that is mentioned in the opening verse; it was first smitten[12] by the Prophetic Word of God. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Brethren, WE ARE AT the drinking of the water. It is God that is scrutinizing us and not man. It will be His decision and His decision alone as to who will qualify for that final selection of that Gideon’s Company. It would behoove us that every man “work out his OWN salvation with FEAR[13] and TREMBLING[14].”

Yours in Christ Jesus,Brother Burt

[1]Gen_6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

[2]Mat_13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

[3]1Co_15:36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:

[4]The boat was indicative of His moving with God with a people on the basis of the Word that God gave to him concerning the End Time.

[5]Mat_24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

[6]There was a word brought to us as a people, “your people are easily diverted, easily subverted.”

[7]Pro_16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

[8]Isa_64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

[9]Heb_11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

[10]Heb_11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

[11]Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

[12]Joh_12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

[14]G5156-τρόμος-tromos-Thayer Definition: 1) a trembling or quaking with fear 2) with fear and trembling, used to describe the anxiety of one who distrusts his ability completely to meet all requirements, but religiously does his utmost to fulfill his duty.